WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:07.360 Thank you for listening to Depictions Media Radio. 2 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:28.879 Welcome to Policy and Rights show up bas WelCom Policy 3 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:52.880 Human Joy. 4 00:00:57.280 --> 00:00:59.960 Welcome back to policy and rights. Here in Depictions Media Radio. 5 00:01:00.119 --> 00:01:05.000 I'm your host, Michael Kloggs. So, over the weekend, as 6 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:11.200 you as many of you know that our team does 7 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:18.120 speaking engagements on human rights and social justice, and over 8 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:21.879 the weekend we were able to do a talk on 9 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:31.120 a social justice talk and human rights talk on pinkwashing 10 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:38.280 and sexual orientation and gender identity as the policy anti 11 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:45.719 bullying policy has been written by the British Columbia government. Well, okay, 12 00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:50.040 so great British Columbia has a policy out there that 13 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:54.920 says that gender identity and sexual orientation will be recognized 14 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:58.599 and that they're as part of that policy that there 15 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:03.920 should be no bullying ut it and it is introduced 16 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:11.360 at all levels of government, from school systems to actual 17 00:02:11.400 --> 00:02:16.520 provincial working offices. Okay, so here's the problem in the 18 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:26.039 school systems. Though, school systems operate by way of curriculum. 19 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:30.599 So on one hand, you have one group of people 20 00:02:30.759 --> 00:02:36.039 that say, hey, you're trying to indoctrinate my children and 21 00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:39.479 turn them into something that they are not. You're trying 22 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:50.080 to force them to be gay. Not necessarily true, but 23 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:58.280 can be interpreted that way because they put no claimers 24 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:05.199 or anything like that to the policy itself. So you 25 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:07.960 have one group of people that and some of the 26 00:03:08.039 --> 00:03:10.919 extremists out of that group, they want to burn books, 27 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:19.520 they want to have teachers fires. They are marching that 28 00:03:20.120 --> 00:03:23.960 you are trying to indoctrinate our children into being something 29 00:03:24.039 --> 00:03:29.159 that they are not. That you are trying to change 30 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:34.840 our children and force them into a tunnel that they 31 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:41.319 do not belong. Which, okay, set aside the extremists to 32 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:47.280 book burners and all. As a parent, I understand, I 33 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:52.800 wouldn't want my government dictating to my children what their 34 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:57.879 gender identity should be or their sexual orientation. No, I 35 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:01.520 would not want that. You didn't want a teacher standing 36 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:07.759 there saying, oh, Joey, because you're wearing pink, that you 37 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:15.840 have to be identifying as a trans person, or Julie, 38 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:23.800 you're wearing brown and blue, you have to be identifying 39 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:27.120 as a trans person, and then try to guide them 40 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:36.519 down a path towards surgeries, medications, all that sort of stuff. No, 41 00:04:36.920 --> 00:04:39.720 I wouldn't want that either, not as a parent. That 42 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:47.600 should be left to be within our families. Okay, then 43 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:52.199 you have the other side of a coin saying that well, 44 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:59.199 they aren't doing enough because parents are are are the 45 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:04.279 bad guys, That children are afraid to come out in 46 00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:07.480 front of their parents because of the ridicule and the 47 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:12.319 shaming that is going to go along with it. Very 48 00:05:12.839 --> 00:05:18.600 valid point. Also, I understand where they're going with that, 49 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:22.680 that there are families out there that still believe in 50 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:32.759 reprogramming and all sorts of other really weird stuff that 51 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:36.720 does that they do to torture the gayness out of 52 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:46.040 a person to make them go straight. Okay, So here 53 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:48.240 it is in a nutshell, and this is what we 54 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:55.720 had discussed in our talk after showing our film Mutah's 55 00:05:55.839 --> 00:06:10.600 cartoon A Gin your Fluid Queer Muslim that one school 56 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:17.000 counselors and teachers as while they say that it is 57 00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:21.319 great that the province has put forth a policy and 58 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:24.240 they've posted on their website, it's really great. This is 59 00:06:24.759 --> 00:06:28.560 totally awesome. It means that the province is taking a 60 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:35.079 stance to eliminate the bullies from the crowd. Okay, where 61 00:06:35.079 --> 00:06:42.560 are the resources, Where are the resources to help counselors 62 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:52.040 and teachers in the school systems to deal with the bullying, 63 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:58.319 to the guidelines to deal with that. Where are the 64 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:07.360 resources for parents who have a ginger fluid or gay 65 00:07:07.800 --> 00:07:11.959 child so that they can deal with those things in 66 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:16.240 a loving way? Where are those resources? Where? 67 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:17.160 Where? 68 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:22.240 How did the problems set this up? They're making a statement, 69 00:07:22.600 --> 00:07:25.480 but there's nothing behind this statement. It's just a statement. 70 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:31.519 And that's where the problem actually lies. The reason why 71 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:35.120 you have one extreme saying, hey, doing in docrity my children, 72 00:07:35.399 --> 00:07:38.879 and the other one saying that parents are being bullies 73 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:44.319 in trying to tortured their shold the gain is out 74 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:48.920 of their children. Well, that's why we have that. So 75 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:58.040 the two sides of the same issue, and the problem 76 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:01.560 with the real problem with the issue is is that 77 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:07.000 the government didn't provide resources to the parents and hasn't 78 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:13.639 provided resources for the teachers and the counselors and the schools, 79 00:08:15.399 --> 00:08:20.160 all of which want to protect the children. They want 80 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:26.160 to make sure that our children grow up happy, well adjusted, 81 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:31.000 and able to express themselves. That is the common thread 82 00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:35.919 between both sides. That is what they want for the children. 83 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:41.240 Now how do we make that happen is another question. 84 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:50.799 So along with that, of course, pride has always been 85 00:08:51.679 --> 00:09:00.559 a political protest trying to get rights for same sex relationships, 86 00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:10.879 for the for equality in a job place for uh, 87 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:18.000 transgender people, so the and allow allow freedom of expression 88 00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:21.840 of who we are as we just generally walk down 89 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:31.120 the street. And with that being a political protest, there's 90 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:35.519 a lot that goes along with that. So we know 91 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:42.639 that and we're not going to play this uh in 92 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:46.480 this particular podcast what Mark Karney had to say while 93 00:09:46.519 --> 00:09:49.440 he was at the Vancouver Pride. But who we will 94 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:53.399 actually have from the Liberal Party is Ernie Clausen, and 95 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:57.559 he is the MP of where this particular radio station 96 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:04.000 sits for White Rock South Sorry, British Columbia, as he 97 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:12.159 makes some statements about support and government support for those 98 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:17.080 who are being marginalized because they are in same sex 99 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:28.440 relationships or have a non binary identity. We are also 100 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:33.000 going to hear from the mayor of Langley, Langley City, 101 00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:38.679 British Columbia, as he is in a same sex relationship 102 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:42.480 and he was given the honor of raising the Pride 103 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:47.480 flag for the for the Langley Pride event and over 104 00:10:50.679 --> 00:10:56.360 Langley for the month of August. Okay, so we're going 105 00:10:56.440 --> 00:11:00.679 to hear that and we're going to hear bits and 106 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:04.559 pieces about what those two have to say. We're also 107 00:11:04.600 --> 00:11:10.679 going to hear from the senior Resource director in Langley, 108 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:14.399 British Columbia as she talks about some of the issues 109 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:22.240 that go along with being elderly and being gay, and 110 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:26.600 how there are other issues that go along with that, 111 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:32.720 such as being left alone, finding themselves in a lonely place, 112 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:38.720 that sort of thing, and as a senior, because well, 113 00:11:38.919 --> 00:11:47.080 you didn't follow the traditional relationship boundaries, you didn't follow 114 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:52.799 the traditional binary way of living male female, that you 115 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:58.080 went non binary, and now you're left alone in your 116 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:02.919 older in your elder years. So why don't we get 117 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:09.080 started and let's hear from each of the three people 118 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:18.440 as they talk about Langley and Pride. In Langley. 119 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:23.799 And Langling Pride have together here. 120 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:27.200 Last Sunday, I was honored to be walking next to 121 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:32.080 our Prime Minister in the Vancouver Pride great and he 122 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:35.759 mentioned to a number of people that he is an 123 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:41.080 ally of the LGBTQ two plus community. So I'm proud 124 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:45.960 to be part of the party that believes in inclusivity 125 00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:50.440 and believes that every single person in Canada is an 126 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:53.559 EGUO and so I'm just so. 127 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:55.080 Honored and proud to be here. 128 00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:57.919 And I just want to also say that I am 129 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:03.600 the co chair of the National Pride Caucus in Ottawa, 130 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:07.240 and so I belong to a group that unfortunately at 131 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:10.679 this point there's only members that sit on my side 132 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:12.960 of the floor that are part of it, even though 133 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:17.799 there's members that should join our group. But together with 134 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:22.799 one of the senators christa Senator Christopher Wells of Alberta, 135 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:28.440 ironically we co chair the National Pride Caucus and we 136 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:33.080 intend to let Canadians know that we are there and 137 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:39.679 we represent the LGBTQ two plus community and everybody who 138 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:44.200 identifies as either an ally or a supporter of our group. 139 00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:49.399 So thank you so much and again happy try. 140 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:53.639 Oh you're also very pleased to have the city of 141 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:56.480 Langley mere Nka Pahal here with us to help raise 142 00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:57.080 our flags. 143 00:13:57.159 --> 00:14:03.960 Meir, thank you very much. 144 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:07.480 I have to say there's a connection to Langley because 145 00:14:07.559 --> 00:14:10.519 I ordered flowers for my husband and I think your 146 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:12.240 husband showed up at our door, so. 147 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:16.200 Connection right there. He owns a power shop. By the 148 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:17.759 way we bought the contexts. 149 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:20.960 I should have started with that he owns a power shop. 150 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:25.039 But I am pround to be here on behalf of 151 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:27.879 Langley City Council, and I know our council, every single 152 00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:30.320 member of council has been very supportive of the two 153 00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:33.639 s LGBTQ I A plus community. I'm just gonna say 154 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:35.519 gay and career from that on because that is a 155 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:38.320 lot of letters and numbers. But I know that people 156 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:41.120 have different labels and it's very important. But you know, 157 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:44.080 we did our first flag raising and we actually had 158 00:14:44.120 --> 00:14:47.159 to defend that right at the BC Human Rights Tribunal 159 00:14:47.320 --> 00:14:49.679 because someone thought that was an inappropriate thing to do. 160 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:53.600 But we did win and that community vould do that. 161 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:57.480 That's because the council as a whole, so I'm just 162 00:14:57.480 --> 00:15:00.279 trying to give them a lot of credit there. But 163 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:02.840 everyone really been thinking about this season. So there's two 164 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:04.720 things that come to mind. I was actually at a 165 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:08.279 Pride dinner last weekend and someone said, hey, this is 166 00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:11.360 like our gay Christmas, and to me, it's actually like 167 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:14.759 gay Thanksgiving. And I've really been thinking about you know, 168 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:17.080 Pride as a protest. That's really been top of mind 169 00:15:17.080 --> 00:15:18.600 and I'm sure for a lot of queer people it 170 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:20.600 has been, and I wanted to share some of the 171 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:23.440 things that I'm thankful for and it's from our elders, 172 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:25.960 or my elders at least. So there were people that said, 173 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.559 you know, enough is enough in the nineteen seventies and 174 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:31.919 they got like gays removed as a mental disorder, so 175 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:34.519 that was a huge thing. There were folks that, you know, 176 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:36.799 there was a lot of raids and places where queer 177 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.879 people went, whether it was bars or pathoses and stuff 178 00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:41.799 like that, and they said, you know, enough is enough. 179 00:15:41.879 --> 00:15:42.840 We deserve to be here. 180 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:46.720 And then they decriminalized moosexuality and they said, hey, you 181 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:49.519 know what, these people are actual human beings. And then 182 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:52.320 we step ahead further where people fought for the rights 183 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.519 for us to get married and have spellsal benefits. And 184 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:57.000 I was lucky to benefit from that. So when I 185 00:15:57.080 --> 00:15:59.039 got married, I didn't have to worry about all of 186 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:03.080 these things. You know, my elders did and plot for us. 187 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.240 So I think those people deserve a round of applause. 188 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:06.240 Here today can play plot. 189 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:13.879 And you know, one of the things. 190 00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:16.320 That is really powerful is just by showing up here, 191 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:19.559 by putting that rainbow flag up is a protest in 192 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:22.360 a way, because we're still trying to be erased, even 193 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:25.159 in twenty twenty five, which is really shocking, and you 194 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:28.519 see that in other communities and in other places of Canada. 195 00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:31.159 So I think it's really really important that we're here 196 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:33.960 today raising the rainbow flag, saying hey, we're here and 197 00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:34.440 we're queer. 198 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:35.559 I've said that a lot in the. 199 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:38.519 Last few days because that's really really important and we 200 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:41.159 celebrate who we are. And you know, Langley City and 201 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:44.919 the township are really great places. They embrace mostly to 202 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:48.879 s lgbtwo two slgbt q I A plus people. So again, 203 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:53.240 very happy, happy Pride, happy silver Pride, happy pride for Langley. 204 00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:54.519 We have a Pride society. 205 00:16:54.759 --> 00:16:57.159 So round of applause for all the hard working factors 206 00:16:57.159 --> 00:17:01.919 for that. And you know what a lot of fun 207 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:07.119 and we're super hear today. 208 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:08.960 Thank you Mayor, it's really good to have you with 209 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:12.680 us today. I'd like to introduce Oliver Day. Oliver is 210 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:19.440 our board director with the Langley Pride Society. 211 00:17:20.519 --> 00:17:23.960 Typically give speeches of giving the short I just want 212 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:25.119 to say a lot. 213 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:26.319 Of thank you. Thank you to keep. 214 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:30.839 Which and all the stuff at the Senior Center of 215 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:33.920 helping us get this event off the ground. Thank you 216 00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:38.119 to fellow committee members on Priday planning folks from our 217 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:42.400 board folks from the Seniors Pride group this projects to 218 00:17:42.440 --> 00:17:44.480 work on and are excited. 219 00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:44.759 That is happening. 220 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:50.880 Thank you for everybody that's here, especially sponsors, our vendors, performers, 221 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:53.599 and of course the volunteers. Thank you for showing up 222 00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:56.039 and saying that. Thank You's place where we can celebrate. 223 00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:59.960 You might have heard the phrase be who you needed 224 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:02.119 when you were younger, and that's what I keep in 225 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:04.720 mind when working over here events a language. I want 226 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:06.759 to be visible for those who can't be are still 227 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:10.160 figuring themselves out, and maybe to inspire people to be 228 00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:12.839 praying formosults. I hope you can lder friends today on 229 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:15.799 alb pro as people, a community, a country in the 230 00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:19.359 world and the part of our progress. Residence and stream. 231 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:25.640 Thank you, Thanks, Thank you so. 232 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:29.039 Langley Pride twenty twenty five is a powerful reminder that 233 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:32.440 pride has no age limit and that every generation plays 234 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:34.599 a role in our collective story. 235 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:38.240 This is our organization's third Pride event. We have in 236 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:41.200 previous years held our Silver Pride, where the focus is 237 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:45.640 to connect older, gay and queer people, celebrate the everyday 238 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:49.279 heroism of people living their authentic lives, and to promote 239 00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:54.559 intergenerational discussion and commemorate those who campaign for the freedoms 240 00:18:54.599 --> 00:18:59.480 so many enjoy today. LGBTQ plus and all the other 241 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:00.400 alphabet letters. 242 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:02.119 I can remember what they are. We'll get it right. 243 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:07.279 These seniors are more likely to be isolated than the 244 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:10.759 already isolated older people in our society. They may be 245 00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:14.960 afraid to be public about their relationships because of generational stigma, 246 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:18.839 and more likely to experience depression because of their inability 247 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:22.720 to live their lives fully. Pride is celebrated all over 248 00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:25.279 the world to have some fun and to acknowledge the 249 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:28.759 challenges and opposition that gay queer people have based. 250 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:32.400 While enormous progress has. 251 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:36.519 Been made in this social rights movement, there are still businesses, organizations, 252 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:40.160 and individuals who are targeted with hate, and there are 253 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:43.720 still aspects of the cultural and political landscape that do 254 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:46.519 not recognize gay and queer folks as equal members of 255 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:52.079 our society. Our Pride event today celebrates their stories of love, 256 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:56.319 hope and activism. Older gay queer people have different life 257 00:19:56.359 --> 00:20:01.200 experiences and different challenges. Are LSRS Senior Pride group meets 258 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:03.720 every month and they are welcoming new members. If you're 259 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:08.559 interested through this group, we encourage folks to gather in celebration, understanding, 260 00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:13.079 advocacy and support. So today we are here to affirm 261 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:16.440 that the Langley Senior Resource Society is an inclusive community. 262 00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:19.400 This is embedded in our organization's values. 263 00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:22.559 We value all seniors in Langley and we want to 264 00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:25.680 support learning, recreation and social lives. 265 00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:28.039 No matter who you are, no matter who. 266 00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:30.519 You look like, what you look like, no matter where 267 00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:33.240 you come from, and no matter who you love, you. 268 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:34.400 Are welcome here. 269 00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:40.039 As long as you're over fifty. 270 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.799 I think we're. 271 00:20:49.559 --> 00:20:53.960 Right, So can you hear me? This is for for 272 00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:54.559 the Ray Corp. 273 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:55.480 This is for the press. 274 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:00.839 So yeah, So that's just that's what And it's twenty minutes, 275 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:04.000 the twenty minute story, but it's I think it's important 276 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:07.240 to tell, and especially here in Langley. I'm so happy 277 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:11.880 that Langley Pridus invited us to show our film and 278 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:17.680 and also committed against pink quashing and supportive of Langley's 279 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:20.519 seniors and Langley youth and everybody else. So I'm really 280 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:21.319 happy to be here. 281 00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:30.440 I'm very happy to be here in Langley to talk 282 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:34.759 about this. One thing I do want to say, though, 283 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:39.599 is two of my fellow volunteers are back there at 284 00:21:39.640 --> 00:21:46.480 the flag raising. Interestingly enough that the mayor of Langley 285 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:49.920 City showed up for the flag raising. In fact, he 286 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:55.920 did the flag raising, but the mayor of Langley Township 287 00:21:56.200 --> 00:22:01.759 did not show up. Is I does that kind of 288 00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:05.240 say something about who we should be voting for versus 289 00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:09.160 who we might want to leave out when it comes 290 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:13.039 to issues around equality. And that's a and the longest 291 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:18.960 short of it is is pinkwashing is about being being 292 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:21.759 able to express yourself equally as everyone else. 293 00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:23.160 In the world. 294 00:22:23.960 --> 00:22:28.359 And that was why we decided to put this story 295 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:33.680 together the way it is and include especially includes link 296 00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:37.880 where she's talking about what's happening to her people back 297 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:39.200 in Palestine. 298 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:52.039 So Michael is depictions media, the broadcaster, podcaster and. 299 00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:52.279 And uh and and has been h helped me make 300 00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:54.799 this film in another film as well. So thank you 301 00:22:54.880 --> 00:23:02.759 very much Michael for helping me tell this story. Any questions, 302 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:06.759 any just any comments, anything that, uh that you wanna 303 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:09.880 share of. Yeah, Alec, So. 304 00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:13.640 I know that being gend. 305 00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:23.039 Like, what was the moment you decided to let go 306 00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:27.240 of this time and come into your. 307 00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:28.680 Own gender as a gender? 308 00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:34.920 I I know when I started, I decided I wanted 309 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:37.680 to be a counselor. And the reason I wanted to 310 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:39.640 be a counselor because there was nobody there to help me. 311 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:43.279 And so I decided that I I wanted to be 312 00:23:43.359 --> 00:23:46.480 able to what help myself first and come to terms 313 00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:48.799 of of who I was, and then they able to 314 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:51.319 help other people like yourself. 315 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:51.359 Like. 316 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:55.880 And uh so when I was doing my counseling my practicum, 317 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:59.000 and they came aconst this youth were way ahead of 318 00:23:59.079 --> 00:24:02.559 many of us when you to gender identity and started 319 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:05.079 saying there, well have non binary and things like that. So, 320 00:24:05.160 --> 00:24:07.720 I mean I knew I was gay, and that was 321 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:09.960 a struggle to begin with. In fact, I'm not even 322 00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:14.599 out as as a gender person to my mom, and 323 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:17.079 I'm being gay and accepting my husband. This is enough 324 00:24:17.160 --> 00:24:21.200 for her, but to I started expressing, like you know, 325 00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:24.200 momtas was there since I was six seven, as it 326 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:26.240 used in the film, but she had to hide who 327 00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:30.519 she was and then gradually started coming out and things 328 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:33.039 like that. And when I start young people and sort 329 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:35.079 of laylou and in Toronto and things like that, it 330 00:24:35.160 --> 00:24:38.279 just gave me permission to express who I was. I mean, 331 00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:41.000 I don't think there was a turning point as such, 332 00:24:42.119 --> 00:24:46.440 Momtas has been coming out gradually, right, And I'm sure 333 00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:49.039 a lot of you can come to understand that because 334 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:53.400 you probably ushed your experience as well. But yeah, it 335 00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:57.039 was yeah, first of all being gay, suppressing who I 336 00:24:57.079 --> 00:25:00.720 was as a gay person, and then suppressing my gender identities. 337 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:05.680 It's it's it's still coming out. Is is ongoing, it 338 00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:12.200 it never stops. I'm sure you can understand that anybody else. 339 00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:22.119 Okay, where in Islam or the Muslim faith does it 340 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:29.920 say that being entering into a same sex relationship is 341 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:30.680 an abomination? 342 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:41.039 No same work place in the Bible? Well supposedly, I 343 00:25:41.079 --> 00:25:46.839 mean the thing is Islam is not very clear when 344 00:25:46.839 --> 00:25:50.720 it comes to same sex relationships. But there is space 345 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:57.720 in Islam for uh transgender identity. In fact, uh places 346 00:25:57.720 --> 00:26:00.200 like Pakistan. I don't know bout Bangladesh, but pakist On 347 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:04.200 and you run sexual assignments, surgery is allowed, but there's 348 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:07.799 not many a lot of resources for trans people. But 349 00:26:07.880 --> 00:26:09.920 the but the Koran does recognize that there are people 350 00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:13.480 whose gender is not clear, and in fact says that 351 00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:20.039 uh where to pray? Right, if you're if you're, if 352 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:23.799 your gender is, how are you identify you pray with 353 00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:26.960 the women or the women, or you pray with the men. 354 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:29.599 But if you're if your gender is not clear, then 355 00:26:29.640 --> 00:26:32.960 you pray in the middle. Right, So I mean there 356 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:33.680 is space for that. 357 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:33.880 Now. 358 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:38.359 There are queer Muslim activists who will argue that if 359 00:26:38.359 --> 00:26:43.799 you accept trans identity in the Kuran and Islam, then 360 00:26:44.519 --> 00:26:48.359 the idea of trans is transcending gender. That means all 361 00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:51.960 queer folks transcend gender because we have saying sex desire. 362 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:55.359 So therefore, if you accept trans folks, we should accept oh, 363 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:58.920 of all queer folks. But we're not there yet, and 364 00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:01.119 that's part of the struggling. I think that's the same struggle, 365 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:05.319 whether it comes today's in my Christianity, Yeah, you can 366 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:07.480 speak more to that, well, yeah. 367 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:12.480 I can probably speak more about Judaism or Christianity because 368 00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:16.000 as the whole thing. The reason why I asked the 369 00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:23.359 question is because I grew up going to Roman Catholic 370 00:27:24.079 --> 00:27:29.599 Catholic school for thirteen years kindergarten through twelfth grade, and 371 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:34.880 you were told that you were an abomination if you 372 00:27:36.440 --> 00:27:40.119 desired the same sex or if you didn't like I 373 00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:43.599 like to wear pink, I like to wear certain style 374 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:48.400 shoes and things like that it's just clothing. Yeah, and 375 00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:53.319 so the nuns would try to beat that out. 376 00:27:53.160 --> 00:27:54.960 Of me, and. 377 00:27:56.440 --> 00:27:59.079 It isn't anywhere in the Bible. As a matter of fact. 378 00:27:59.079 --> 00:28:02.480 If we try trick it, track everything back to the 379 00:28:02.519 --> 00:28:06.880 Hebrew and then back into Sanskript, what it comes out 380 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:11.680 to be is there is a quote unquote warning that 381 00:28:12.599 --> 00:28:17.839 you won't have children. Does that matter to everybody if 382 00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:18.920 you're with the one you love? 383 00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:19.759 Yes? 384 00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:22.599 So I I met a Jewish person and they said 385 00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:26.519 that in in the Torah. Uh, the tour speaks about 386 00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:29.920 doesn't speak about what gender or sexual orientation whatever, But 387 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:32.880 what does talk about is who you can sleep with 388 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:38.039 in your family like t Yeah, family taboos, Yeah, something 389 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:41.799 like that. That that's in the that's in Leviticus apparently, Yeah, 390 00:28:42.279 --> 00:28:46.200 what you would Michael has both a Christian and Jewish background, 391 00:28:46.279 --> 00:28:48.759 so you can talk about so knows where about that. 392 00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:51.440 But you know that the thing is that what really 393 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:53.480 gets to me is that a lot of those people 394 00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:57.079 who are the antisci leaders here in the valley and 395 00:28:57.079 --> 00:29:00.440 in Syrian things like that are people from my community, 396 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:06.079 right And and you know when you look at Pakistan, India, 397 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:10.000 places like that, there's spaces for trans folks, and yet 398 00:29:10.039 --> 00:29:13.319 they are afraid of letting their children express who they are. 399 00:29:14.599 --> 00:29:18.920 And they're going after teachers like Annie Johanna right who 400 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:23.599 who are creating space for letting young people discover and 401 00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:28.599